VIT conduct head holds paid position as Catholic school organisation director

The head of the trouble-plagued Victorian Institute of Teaching’s conduct branch has been criticised for this his “unconscionable” dual role.

Damien Cricchiola from the VIT has been accused of having a conflict of interest.

The head of the troubled Victorian Institute of Teaching’s conduct branch is also holding a paid position as a Catholic school organisation director, the Herald Sun can reveal.

Damien Cricchiola, who has been acting VIT CEO, is also a director of a key stakeholder body, Catholic Education Sandhurst, which one source called “unconscionable”.

Mr Cricchiola is paid around $15,000 a year to protect the interests of 50 Catholic schools in the diocese in addition to his executive salary at the VIT.

A source inside the VIT called Mr Cricchiola’s dual roles as a “significant conflict of interest that is not being managed”.

This claim has been denied by the VIT and Catholic Education Sandhurst, which runs 50 country Victorian schools.

VIT CEO Peter Corcoran said Mr Cricchiola “has no involvement in cases involving Sandhurst teachers”.

On Tuesday Education Minister Ben Carroll responded to reports in the Herald Sun that the VIT has failed to permanently ban teachers who have already been found guilty of assault, sexual misconduct and serious drink-driving.

Mr Carroll will seek an in-depth briefing of the VIT’s professional conduct branch to see how the backlog of cases, which has reached more than 1600, can be cleared.

A lawyer working with schools has also told the Herald Sun that “teachers dismissed from one school are gaining employment in other schools because VIT has taken too long to suspend or cancel their registrations following reportable conduct findings”.

He said such delays put child safety at risk.

“VIT is massively under-resourced and as a result cannot perform its important functions properly.”

The revelations were raised in the Victorian Parliament on Tuesday, with Opposition Education spokesman Jess Wilson demanding the Allan Labor Government commit to an independent audit of the existing case backlog rather than just a briefing.

“With the VIT failing to place hundreds of registered staff facing serious misconduct allegations on interim suspension, the safety of students is being placed at unacceptable risk,” Ms Wilson said.

A spokeswoman for Catholic Education Sandhurst said the board “takes its responsibilities extremely seriously, and has every confidence that both the Board and Mr Cricchiola have met the required conflict of interest standards”.

Mr Corcoran told the Herald Sun a rise in cases was “stretching us financially as we are only funded from teacher registration fees”.

“We’d love to put on more staff but have to operate within these financial constraints.”

Mr Carroll said if additional reforms were needed, he would not hesitate to take action to ensure the VIT operated as it should. “I have a strong understanding that the VIT is very well-resourced, most cases are dealt with within six months,” he said.

“Cases that may go into a couple of years are generally because they are also in the courts dealing with due process, witness statements and making sure everything is followed.”